Across The Hall: All Alone
by clickingofkeys
Summary: Nick find himself alone in the loft, not wanting to know where his roommates are. As Nick settles to play some Xbox, Jess returns home earlier then expected as an invitation is gestured an a possibly acceptance is made. (Main story plot)
1. Chapter 1

The loft had been full of silence throughout the night, not knowing when everyone had left, or where they had gone to, but Nick wasn't going to focus on where they were at, it was a rare thing to have the loft alone and the thought of always walking around naked or just being able to hear himself think always lingered in his mind, and only he would really know if he would do such a thing as to discard his clothes. None of his roommates had stumbled on to his naked body even with the solo shower surrounding the urinals and one single stall that they called their bathroom, it was how Nick wanted it to be. He wasn't uncomfortable with his naked body, but it wasn't something he would be flashing out.

But as he entered the loft further, he placed the bag of Chinese he had bought for himself, adding an extra three boxes to his order in case he found himself eating later on, which he often did, but he would normally come to find out that either Winston, Schmidt or Jess found the food before his late night binge would occur. Letting out a loud sigh, Nick again never found himself alone in the loft like this, normally it was ruined by finding out that someone was in fact home, or that someone was edging home. As he propped himself into the L-shape of the couch, he normally indented, Nick clicked through the channels, coming across nothing in particular, as he eyed the game system in the corner of the entertainment center, something new of Winston's, something that used up all his time, as well as the television in general. But again, Nick found himself alone, as he reached for the control, flipping it to the green logo of the x as a smile formed on his face, as he leaned back more, kicking off his sneakers as they dropped to the floor, as the left foot found the crack of the couch, as it sank it, the other dangling in the air. With a relaxing state, with the system being new, and all but Schmidt being the one with the money, which he seemed to still, be against the system, as no one still had caught him in the act of playing it. Nick only knew that the games Winston had been the new shooter and some older basketball game which Nick found too sketchy for some former athlete.

As Nick started the shooter game, the bright light filled the screen as well as his eyes, the sound echoed the room, catching Nick off guard, as the sound of keys jingled as well as the door opening swiftly was unheard, as he finally heard the footsteps behind him.

"Damn guys, I am never alone" he voiced out as he turned around, meeting with the big eyed brunette. "Oh Jessica" Nick alerted himself as he fixed his posture for a moment, his feet dragging up to his body as they both rested on the couch cushions in front of him.

"Am I interrupting Miller alone time?" Jess spoke back, as she placed her purse and a lose back on the kitchen table as her eyes filled with the same bright light, now that faded into the intro of the game, bringing it to the title menu.

"What…? No, no I just thought you were Winston or Schmidt" he fought back as he darted his eyes off her finally, not realizing he had been watching her ever moment since he first heard her enter the room.

"So since I'm not one of them, you're not going to care" her hands flailed up as she sat down on the stool in front of the counter, still facing her roommate, a grin placed on her face.

"You know what I mean Jess" Nick tried talking it off as his hands gripped the game controller as he swallowed hard. "I thought you were out with your man friend anyways?" he added regretting it instantly, as he didn't want to hear her voice about the other male that he hadn't yet met.

"Cut short" Jess simply said as the room filled with the sound of only the video game, Nick only knew her bug eyes were probably glancing at the screen, intrigued into what he was going to do.

"Something about work, but it's fine, we just had coffee and talked" she shrugged pulling her jacket off, as her dress revealed, as Nick too no notice as he was still facing the screen.

As Nicks fingers hovered over the left thumb stick, Nick had no words come to him as the sound of the video game was turning fuzzy. "Did you want to play?" Nick invited her to enjoy the system with him, knowing that mostly likely Jess would say no, Winston had asked her a few times, and she always shook her waves no, right before leaving to her room, but again Nick wasn't Winston.

"Sure" Jess spoke out, standing up as she placed her jacket in her hand, folding it over her other. "Can I change first, get into something more comfortable?" she asked as she was no in front of him, looking down at the position he had made himself.

Nodding Nick stayed silent, still shocked that Jess wanted to play such a violent game with him, she was the girl who would come storming inside yelling at them to turn down the shooting, the same shooting that was only rotting their brains, but maybe Jess had some odd change of heart, and as the confused face shined itself on to Nicks face, he watched the woman leave the main area as the door shut softly behind her. Sitting up more, Nick throat only felt dryer now, not knowing how long she would be, Jess took him by surprise at time, finding she would rush sometimes, and other time she was slower than ever, depending on the situation.

As the door shut behind her, Jess seemed to cling to the back side of it with her back, as her eyes adjusted to her hue of her room, as she scanned her room. Contemplating on what to wear, this wasn't some big night, it was a night that was to be held on the couch, playing some violent game that Jess knew nothing about, a game where she didn't know the actions and controls, a night where Jess would be just like one of the guys, a normal night.

As her back removed from the door, Jessica Day rushed to her closet as she eyed the fabrics of her personal items. "It's just Nick, it's just Nick Miller, your roommate" she continued to say to herself.

This was nothing more, and it would be nothing more.

**I want to post all of this, but yet I am writing this so late, and they are just killing me. So if I just think of what will happen. (Spoiler: I know a few things that will happen) But I just hope it all pans out like it is in my head, because they are just aldskfja((sorry))**

**xoxo**

**-A**


	2. Game On

Eyeing her wardrobe, Jess knew that she possessed far too many outfits and shoes, but this wasn't the time to think of something so juvenile, it wasn't the time to think about it, knowing that Nick was waiting for her arrival, or what she would call some arrival, as Nick was only waiting a few feet away in the living room.

She ran her fingers along her dresses, knowing it was surely too upbeat for something she was eyeing. As her shirt hit the floor, she stepped out of it, as her heels slipped out of her feet as she dragged out her dresser, revealing pajama bottoms. Something simple but something that was worn often around the loft. Slipping on the bottoms, Jess replaced her shirt from earlier with her Ms Day Jam-boree shirt as that followed with her pink robe. Unsure if slippers needed to come along with her, she chose against it, as she faced her full mirror, placing a smile on her face which only brought a pout onto her own face. But after she fluffed her hair out, she only knew that Nick wouldn't possibly care on how she looked. This wasn't anything, as she continued to repeat into her mind. And with a deep breath, she opened the door as she made her way out back into the living room where Nick was, but now he was in the kitchen.

"Beer?" Nick spoke out not even managing to turn his back to Jess as his head dipped into the fridge.

"Yes please" Jess voice ringed into her own ears as she stared over at Nick, feet away from the couch. As Nick turned around, with the refrigerator door shutting behind him, he met eyes with Jess, as he only stood feet away from her. With her usual outfit, he still found her breathtaking, and the silence they shared for that moment seemed to linger longer than it had ever.

Closing his eyes quickly he extended his hand out, handing the beer to Jess as she took it gently from him. Returning to his seat as Jess followed suit as her arm brushed against his.

Opening his beer, Nick took a long sip from the bottle as his eyes met with Jess again. She too was doing the same thing as she was, her big blues pierced through him every single time, as he continued to look away from her, still sipping on his beer, nursing it as a avoidance concept he had learned so long ago. The title screen of the game volume had softened now, the screen dim with the black as some sort of sleep mode the system normally put itself in.

The thoughts of why Jess was home, and not out engulfed into the town, or her new guy she was seeing ran through his mind, instead she seemed to want to spend the night with Nick, something that had done often, but not as of late.

"So no ladies get to experience the Miller time tonight?" Jess finally broke the silence, catching Nick off guard as he realized her beer was now on the coffee table sitting in front of her, her legs crossed against them, her shirt riding up slightly to bare her naked stomach.

Chuckling into his bottle, his lips finally lifted off the bottle as it found its usual spot into Nick's lap, his hand still grasping the bottle neck.

"Miller time? Don't call it Miller time Jessica" Nick softly chuckled trying to keep a more serious face.

"Well what else should I call it? Nick's up at bat?" Jess sounded out.

"It still surprises me where you come up with these terms that no one has ever heard of; do you just make them up?" Nick's free arm rested on the back of the couch as his body turned towards Jess.

"Fine, forget I asked" Jess rolled her eyes as she glanced at the screen.

With the fear that silence would fill the loft once more, Nick reached for the remote as the television became alive again; the sound of the theme song rang through their ears.

"So game time" Jess announced as Nick looked over at her.

"If you insist, but I'm not going to go easy on you, just because you're a girl and you think this game is silly" Nick noted to her as he handed her the remote, as he stood up, moving across the loft as he grabbed the extra remote returning to his seat.

With a smile that followed with loud laughter Jess leaned back more as the remote placed into her hand.  
"You're a riot Miller, trust me you don't need to hold my hand" Jess bantered back as she flashed her eyes back at Nick and back at the television.

"I'm just saying, I can play this blindfolded and still beat you Jess" Nick smirked as he selected the options.

"I'll kick your ass Nicolas" Jess spat back as her eyes cued to the moving screen in front of them.

And within moments, they were placed into a game. The game consisted of shooting one another in a map that was shaped like miss-shaped 'L', and the meaning of the game was to get the most kills in the time limit. Jess hadn't played such a game, and for Nick, he was right about the whole blindfold thing, he dreamt this stuff, as well as grew up with similar games.

With the game counting down, Nick and Jess stared at one another.

"3…2…1" they both shouted as the game launched, as they began.

Nick got the first 3 kills in the first minute, as Jess accidently blew herself up, bringing the score to 4-0. But with a fiery vengeance Jess received 2 kills of her own in the next few moments, as the clock counted down quicker and quicker.

As the kill streaks grew and the score changed, Jess was keeping up more than Nick thought to be, but the remaining seconds, Nick found himself ahead as Jess ended the game with one last kill.

"Unfair" Jess shouted loudly. The score read 14-9, in favor of Nick.

"How is that unfair, it's not my fault you suck" Nick taunted her as he scrunched his face up.

"It's unfair because you're always playing this game and you're rotting your brain" Jess stuck her tongue out as she set the controller down.

"Oh please Jess, you knew this before, and ouch, ouch that really hurt my feelings" Nick chuckled as he it ran through Jess ears.

"Jerk" Jess hissed back. This only brought Nick confidence up more as he poked her in the side, bringing Jess smile back.

"Stop" Jess giggled as her finger ran into Nick's side, bringing a grin to his face, as he only returned the touch, bringing Jess to laugh again.  
"Don't tell me you're ticklish" the words flew out of Nick's mouth as Jess hands flew around her.

"NO" she shouted back trying to inch away from him, but she only found herself being pushed on more by Nick, his fingers and hands covering her body as he continued to poke at her body, making her laugh more and more, her face bringing the pink to it.

"Nick stop, stop" Jess shouted as Nick was now hovering over Jess lying body on the couch.

But even with Jess constant shouting, it wasn't bringing Nick to no end as his fingers continued to brush against Jess skin, making her shirt lift up exposing her stomach even more, her robe nearly coming off, but both their faces blushed with red.

Finally ceasing and both out of break, Nick and Jess collapsed on the couch their Nicks arms layed against Jess's.

"I dislike you Miller" Jess panted a smile forming on her face.

"And with that I ask for a rematch!" she shouted sitting up as she alerted Nick.

Chuckling to himself, his eyes wandered over to the now sitting Jessica Day as he shook his head.

"Not a chance." He shook his head. "I bet you once, I know I can again, so it's pointless" he pressed his lips together.

"Come on Nick" Jess argued back.

Still shaking his head, Nick seemed to be set in his ways.

"How about a bet?" Jess suggested as she reached for her beer taking a long drink from it.

"A bet?" Nick seemed more so interested now than ever.

Nodding her head. "Yes a bet, Day against Miller" she spoke.


End file.
